Dashboard-gage for gasolene-tanks



W. D. OHAVER.

DASHBOARD GAGE FOR GASOLENE TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.24,1920.

' Patented Aug. 16, 192i.,

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- protiide a gage on narran stares satana 'erstes WILLIAM D. OHAVER, 0F JUDSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 MO'TGOMERY MFG. COM'.-

'PANY, or wAvELANn, INDIANA, A

CORPORATION 0F INDIANA.

DASHIBOARD-GAGE FOR GASOLEN-TANKS;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug'. 16, i921.

Application lved January 24, 1920. Serial No. 353,766.

.i 'o all whom t may concern:`

llc it known that I, WILLIAM D. OHAVER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Judson, in 'the county of Parke and State of `indiana, have invented certain new and useful .improvements in Dashboard-Gages forv Gasolene-Tanks; and l do hereby de'clarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Elie present ments in automobile attachments, and more specifically relates to a dash-board gage for gasolene tanks. p

The object of the present invention is to boailad*l` of automobiles or other vehicles carryinc"g'asolene orother similar fuel tanks, whereby the driver of the machine may be at all times informed of the condition of the the fuel tank. v

Ofttzntimes motorists find that they have allogwebl lthe gasolene in the tank, which is gene Nelly kept at the rear of the vehicle, where, t is seldom examined to ascertain the quantity of fuel therein, to exhaust itself, and they thus find themselves out of gasolene atpoints remote from garages or filling statiorns, This is costly as it requires towing ofthe machineto a garage or station, or it requires, at great inconvenience, a service car to bring gasolene to the stranded machine.

lt is anl object of the present invention, therefore, to avoid predicaments of this kind, and the invention contemplates carrying this into efl'ect by placing in full view of the driver a gage whichis in connection with the fueltank and which at all times accurately shows the height of the fu'e'l level therein. I

A further object of the present invention resides v"in providing a gage of simple construction, adapted for manufacture and sale at low cost, whereby the same may be generally brought into wide use.

`With these and `further objects in view as will in gpart hereinafter become apparent and lili" part ,be stated, the inventionv comprises certain novel constructions, combinations andarrangements et parte as subsequently specified and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawing,-

Figure l is a fragmentary, perspective invention relates to improvethe dash or instrument.

view, with parts broken away, of a Ford automobile with an improved gage constructed according to the present invention applied thereto.

Fig` 2 is a perspective view of the gage shown in combination with its connections, which are partially broken away.

Fig. tical sectional view through the gage, andv Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the same. K

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein only a single embodiment of the invention is illustrated, 5 designates generally an automobile, a Ford motor car, having t e engine V6 and the usual carbureter 7 for reparing the explosive mixture therefor. A pipe line S is shown as connecting with the carbureter 7 and as running rearwardly beneath the body of the vehicle, this being the usual connection to the carbureter 7 from the gasolene tank carried either beneath the forward or rear seats. The pipe line 8 includes a vertically extending portion 9 which rises up to the level of the carbureter 7.

According to the invent-ion, the vertical portion 9 of the pipe line 8 is tapped and the 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, verf.v

such, for example, as.

liquid gasolene is allowed to flow from this point to the improved gage which isv held on the dash or instrument board of the, vehicle. The pipe is tapped preferably by including therein a T-c'oupling 10 forming a continuation of the pipe line, tube or conduit ll, which passes around to 4the rear of the engine 6 and goes through the footboard 12 or other portion of the vehicle. Thetube l1 is provided with a rubber nipple 13, as best shown in Fig. 2, which tightly embraces the lower tubularend of a sheet metal gage frame 11i which contains the glass tube 15. This glass tube l5 is also open at its lower end in order to receive-- the liquid gasolene through the tube Il. The

nipple 13 is made of such dimensions that itmust be expanded in order to slide over the and also connected to strengthen the sheet metal frame and to manner most clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein such frame is shown to be crimped centrally or displaced to form a substantially cylindrical housing 1G ofthe same general cross sectional curvzilture as the glass tube 15, whereby to tightly embrace the same and protect the glass tube from shocks and blows that might otherwise break the same. The free ends of the sheet metal frame are extendedv in the same plane at substantially tangents to the cylindrical housing .16. and provide a pair of plates 17 and 1S at opposite sides of the housing. The plates are perforated as indicated at 19 and 2() to receive screws or other fastening devices 21 and 22, which enter-the dash-board 23 and secure the gage thereto, substantially in the position shown in Fig. 1.

As shown to advantage in Fig. 2, the front vvall of the housing 16 is provided with vertically elongated slots or cut-away portions 24 and 25 for the purpose of exposing the glass tube 15 to view and allowing the driver of the vehicle to observe therethrough the condition of the liquid column. A strip 26 is left between the slots 24 and 25 to better confine the glass tubo 15 ln place.

t one side of the slots 24- and 25 the housing 16 is provided -with graduations 27, While adjacent such graduations are numerals of reference 28, borne by the plate 17.

hcse numerals 28 appear on the plate 17 and are, consequently. susceptible of being displayed in larger size than if borne by the iousing 16. and they are also more easily viewed as they are carried by a part extending at right angles to the line of vision. The numerals are, therefore. more easily read than if provided directly on the curved outer Wall of the housing 1G.

The upper end`29 of the metal fran-1c is also formed tubular, beinr an extension of the housing 16. A rubber cap 30 fits snugly over the open upper end 29 of said housing extension and is provided with a recess 31 annular in form for fitting tightly over the upper edge of said end 29. leaving a. depending central portion 32 which enters the end 29 for a short distance and lies in close proximity to the upper end ot the glass tube l5. The rubber cap 30 eifectually excludes the escape of air which is necessary i` niger portion of the tube 15 to properly cushion the liquid column and prevent its rapid rise when the vehicle is descending hills, or due to the effect of shocks and jars.

In Fig. 2, the tube 1l is shown as connecting with a -Tcoupling 33 included in a hqristal pipe line 34 passing between the carbureter and the gasolene tank. It Will e obvious that a great variety of different mechanical means may be resorted to for connecting the improved gage in a gasolene tank. The improved device is more espethe cially adapted for use in connection with Ford automobiles vhere no vacuum tanks are'employed and where gravity is depended on to feed the fuel from the tank to the carbureter. Fuel thus owing from. the tank through the pipe 8 to the carbureter 7 will also lill the conduit 11 and rise in the glass tube 15, which is placed on the vehicle at the same elevation as the fuel tank. The numerals 28 on the scale of the gage are also arranged at heigths that correspond with similar heights in the gasolene tank, so that the upper level of the fluid column in the. glass tube 15 will show accurately the height ot fuel in the tank. The driver is. therefore, apprifed at alltimesnojf` the precise level of the fuel in the gasolene tank, and he may make provision tor the replenishment of such tank before the same recedes to too low a level.y

that is claimed is 1. An improved gage of the character described adapted to show the level of fuel in a fuel tank comprising a sheet metal shell or frame crimped centrally to provide a substantially cylindrical housing having slots therein, a transparent tube in said housing adapted to receive the liquid fuel andlshow the height thereof through said slots, and side plates formed by the ends of said sheet metal shell. and adapted to be attached to a vehicle.

2. An improved scribed including a sheet metal shell or frame ofi'set or crimped centrally to provide a...substantially cylindrical housing open at its rear e-nd and having the sides of the shell or casing arranged substantially tangential to said housing and extending in aline-ment, fastening means adapted to pass through said plates to hold the gage on the dash of a motor vehicle, and means for placing said gage in'conneetion with the gasolene pipe line to receive the liquid fuel therein, Where by the gage may show the level in the fue, tank at all times.

An improved gage of the character described including a sheet metal shell or frame offset or crimped centrally to provide a substantially cylindrical housing' having elongated vertical slots therein with .a cross piece extending between t-hefslots, side plates formed-.in -one piece with the housing and extending substantially tangential thereto at the rear side thereof, said plates being in alinement' and formed to receive fastenings whereby the gage may be connected to the dash of a vehicle, said housing having at one side a scale7 and one of the side plates having numbers referring to the graduations on said scale, a transparent tube'fitted in said housing v`and showing through the slots therein, and. a conduit placing said transgage of the character de' parent tube 1n connection With the gasolene line on the vehicle.v

4. AAn improved gage of the character de? a substantially .cylindrical housing having vertically elongated slots', side plates extending in alinement and substantially tangential to the cylindrical housing at the rear` thereof, said plates formed to receive fastening means for Aholding the gage on the dash or other board of a vehicle, said'cylindrical housing being extended below the lower edges of the plates, a glass tube fitted in -said housing and extending into the lower projecting end thereoic', a, rubber nipple secured over the lower end of the housing and. 15

tube, a conduit connected to said nipple and to the gasolene line, the upper end of said housing extending above the upper ends of the flanges, and a rubber cap having a centrally depressedl portion fitted over the up- 20v per open end of the housing.

In testimony whereof l aiiix my. signature p in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM D. o HAvnnf. V 

